Pallet with adjustable height legs

ABSTRACT

Collapsible pallet for transporting cargo and having adjustable height stacking posts positioned at each of the four corners. Each post is pivotably attached about a fixed post portion and is rotatable to vertical locked positions to be stacked above the stationary post portion and provide adjustable height to the pallet.

United States Patent [191 Nichols [111 3,807,581 [451 Apr. 30, 1974 PALLET WITH ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT LEGS [75] Inventor: Fred E. Nichols, Cincinnati, Ohio [73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 111. 22 Filed: Nov. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 304,434

[52] U.S. Cl 214/105 R, 108/53, 108/56, 220/1.5, 220/97 R [51] Int. Cl 865d 7/28 [58] Field of Search 214/10.5 R; 108/51, 53, 108/54, 55, 56; 220/1.5, 6, 7, 8, 97 R [56] Y References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,529,741 9/1970 Walker et a1. 220/l.5 X

|l 10/ l I:

3,459,326 8/1969 Betjemann 220/1.5

Primary ExaminerFrank E. Werner Attorney, Agent, or Firml-Iilmond O. Vogel [57] ABSTRACT Collapsible pallet for transporting cargo and having adjustable height stacking posts positioned at each of the four corners. Each post is pivotably attached about a fixed post portion and is rotatable to vertical locked positions to be stacked above the stationary post portion and provide adjustable height to the pallet.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPR 30 1924 3.8015 1 SHEET 2 BF 4 Pmminma m 3.807.581 Y I sumaunr V u l j PALLET WITH ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT LEGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to portable storage racks or pallets sometimes referred to as skeletonized containers and having collapsible end frames of stacking and support posts movable between an upright locked posi- 1 tion and a collapsed folded position.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art collapsible pallets have generally provided a feature for storage of the pallet when not in use, and the present invention differs from the prior art in that not only does the present invention provide a pallet which is collapsible for easy storage but also has upstanding leg portions which may be adjustable in height depending on the height of the transported cargo to thereby conserve space when the containers are stacked on top of one another.

SUMMARY This invention relates to collapsible pallets which are used in transporting cargo in which the cargo pallets are stacked end to end and stacked vertically on top of each other. The present invention provides a pallet having adjustable height legs to thereby vary the overall height of the container in response to the height of the lading being transported.

In operation, the leg portions of the collapsible pallet may be pivoted downward to rest on the deck of the pallet when not in use and when raised to the vertical or upright position are locked in place to thereby provide leg structure for supporting pallets which may be stacked on top of the pallet of the present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible pallet or skeletonized container having a rigid deck platform surrounded at each corner by a collapsible corner post structure having post portions which are rotatable between a collapsed position on the pallet deck and an upright position locked on a stationary post portion which extends a short distance above the deck of the pallet.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible pallet or storage rack having an adjustable height feature whereby each corner post consists of a plurality of pivoting post portions which may be selectively stacked atop a shorter stationary corner post to thereby provide a multitude of overall height adjustments to the storage rack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible storage rack having adjustable height corner posts which contain a locking element which may be selectively engageable to securely fasten adjacent post portions.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a corner post locking element including a rotating hook member operable to interconnect adjacent post portions and connected to an operating linkage including an over center locking link which provides for rapid and secure rotational locking movement of the locking hook.

These and other objects of the invention will be come apparent from reference to the following description, attached drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a pictorial illustration of the collapsible pallet of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the container taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a corner of the container showing the stationary fixed corner post;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken generally along 0 lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view of the intermediate portion of the adjustable height corner post;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the removed top portion of the adjustable height corner post;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view of the locking device used to-securely connect the swinging portions of the adjustable height corner post; and

FIG. 10 is a side view with portions removed of the locking device illustrated in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, it is noticed that FIG. I shows an overall view of the collapsible pallet of the present invention. The pallet is contemplated to be the size of a standard cargo-carrying container which is generally 8-foot width with various lengths, generally 20, 24 or 40 feet. The skeletonized container or storage rack 10 includes a corner post assembly positioned at each of the four corners and designated by the numeral 12. A reinforced deck 14 connects the four posts and provides a rigid structure for the mounting and supporting of transported cargo. The corner posts 12 include a lower fixed post 16 which is rigidly secured to the deck 14 and defines the minimum height of the storage rack. Pivotally connected to the fixed posts 16 are intermediate rotating posts 18 and an upper post 20 which are both pivotally attached to the fixed post 16 by the pivot pin 22. The pivot pin 22 extends through the aligned opening 23 in the fixed post 16 and through openings 23a in both the intermediate post 18 and the upper post 20 respectively to thereby provide rotatable post portions which swing about a common pivot point 22.

A locking device 24 is positioned in the intermediate post 18 and the upper post 20 to securely fasten these rotatable posts about the fixed post 16 when the swinging posts 18, 20 are moved into an upright supportive position.

On the underside of each corner of the storage rack 10 are four standard corner castings 26 which are used generally to secure the storage rack. 10 on the deck of the vehicle and for interconnecting the storage rack with other racks and also used for lifting and transporting the storage rack. It is also noticed that additional corner castings 26 are positioned atop the fixed post 16, and the intermediate post 18 and the upper post 20 thereby to provide for easy stacking, interconnecting and transporting the storage rack 10 with other adjacent containers. Each corner casting 26 has oval slots 27 facing transversely of the container sides and round openings facing longitudinally of the container ends (see FIG. 1).

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 for a more specific description of the components of the present invention, note that the fixed post 16 includes a pair of channel members including first and second fixed post portions 28 and 30 which are joined by a connecting plate 32 to thereby provide a rigid beam structure for resisting tensile and shear loading which may be imposed on the corner posts. A cap plate 34 covers the top of the pose 23 and the corner casting 26 is positioned atop the second fixed portion 30.

-The swinging post portions 18, 20 which are illustrated in FIGS. -8 also include a pair of joined generally channel shaped beam portions comprising a hinge channel support member 36 of the intermediate swinging post 18 and an analogous hinge support member 36a of the top swinging post portion 20. Second connected stacking channel members 38, 38a in the intermediate and top post portions respectively are joined by connecting plates 42, 42a to provide rigid supporting post beam portions. Both the intermediate posts 18 and the upper posts include locking slot portions 40, 40a which provide for installation of a locking device which will be described later. The swinging arm portions 18 and 20 include top. cover plates 43, 43a respectively which close off the channel portions 36, 36a and reinforce same. Also, the top of the channel portions 40, 40a provides a mounting and fasteneing surface for the corner casting 26 which is rigidly mounted atop both the intermediate post 18 and the top post 20. Bottom plates 44, 44a provide for nesting of the swinging post portions 18, 20 atop the fixed post 16 and also allow for efficient transfer of compressive forces through the composite post structure.

The individual post members which rotate about the pivot pin 22 each include an interlocking device 24 which rigidly attaches each rotatable post portion to a lower post portion. Locking device 24 includes a pivotally attached locking hook 48 which is best shown in side view in FIG. 10. This hook 48 is pivotally attached to the associated corner post lock housing and extends downwardly into the opening 27a in the corner casting 26. Extending away from the hook portion is a connecting extension 50 which is pivotally attached to a floating link 52 which extends between the extension 50 and an operating handle 54.'The operating handle 54 is pivotally attached at 55 external of the associated post portion and is restrained in flush with the post position by a pivoting lock latch 56 best shownin FIG. 9.

' After cargo has been placed on the deck 14, and the height of the container has been determined, the post portions are pivoted upwardly from the deck of container atop the fixed post 16 and then interconnected by means of the locking device 24 which is contained in each post portion. The solid line illustration of FIG. 10 shows the positioning of the hook portion 48 which is inserted in an adjacent opening 27a of the adjacent cornercasting and which is connected thereto. The floating link 52 at approximately right angles from the hook extension 50 as the hook portion 48 is inserted into an associated opening 270 in a corner casting 26. This configuration provides for a maximum hook force being applied to rotate the hook portion 48 into an associated opening 27a. Also, when hook 48 engages a corner casting to lock together two post portions, the design provides over center locking whereby forces tending to rotate the hook 48 clockwise as shown in FIG. 10 are passed to the right of pivot 55 thus providing the self-locking feature.

The present invention also contemplates locating pivot pin 22 at a point horizontally spaced from the position where the post portions are stacked on one another. This spacing of the pivot pin 22 from the seating point atop a post carried corner casting 26 provides for the post portions to reach a top or in line position when in line with the pivot point and to be in effect moving downwardly toward the seating point of the receiving corner casting 26 when contact between the adjacent post portions occurs. This feature simplifies the design and provides an inherently self seating post which eliminates the need for slotted pivots to insure that vertical stacking forces are etficiently transferred through the posts and not through the pivot pin.

The locking device is contained in each swinging post portion and insures posts are rigidly and securely tied together by a structurally sound supporting post which rigidifies the container and allows additional containers to be stacked thereon.

The pivoting corner post sections according to the present invention provide a method of adjusting the height of a storage rack in response to the overall height of the cargo contained thereon and thus permit efficientuse of storage space in a railway vehicle, a truck or shipping vessel. Each post portion includes a top corner casting which permits additional containers or skeletonized storage racks to be positioned thereon and also permits the storage racks to be lifted from the top post such as would occur by a lift hook inserted in the slotted side opening 27 of the top corner casting.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: l. A portable storage rack comprising: horizontally disposed deck portion for support and transport of articles and comprising corner posts having a plurality of post sections; said post sections including fixed non-rotatable corner post portions securely attached to the deck portion and extending above the deck support sur-- face and each non-rotatable corner post portion having a two-piece construction including a stacking and corner casting mounting section and a rotating post mounting section horizontally adjacent the comer casting mounting section;

said post sections also including a plurality of movable post means pivotally attached to the post mounting section of the fixed corner post and swingable from an on deck folded position to an upright support position, and each movable post means including a post section connecting and locking means and a hinge portion for pivoting attachment to the associated fixed corner post portion and also having a nesting portion movable to atop the stacking section of the associated fixed comer post portion in vertical alignment with the corner casting of said fixed corner post portion to thereby provide a storage rack having rigid interlocked and adjustable height corner posts;

each supporting post section having a top corner casting;

said locking means pivotally mounted in the nesting portion of each movable post means, and engageable with the supporting corner casting of the lower adjacent supporting post section to thereby rigidly interconnect the post sections to permit stacking of storage racks.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and: said interconnecting locking means including a rotating hook positioned for locking downward movement into locking engagement with the supporting post section;

a lock operating mechanism including an operating handle and a floating link member pivotally connecting the rotating hook and said operating handle.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and: said corner casting mounting section and the rotating post mounting section of the fixed corner post portions comprising channel shaped members joined by a connecting plate to thereby form adjacent box beams;

each of the rotating post means also having an interconnected box beam construction comprising a channel shaped hinge portion and a channel shaped nesting portion attached to a beam closing plate.

tions securely attached to said deck and extending upwardly therefrom and having a two-piece construction with a fixed stacking portion including upper and lower corner castings attached to each end thereof and said post portions also having a hinge support section fixedly attached to the stacking portion;

said post section including a first rotatable post means having a hinge connection portion for pivotally attaching the rotatable post means to the hinge support section of an associated fixed corner post portion and also having a stacking section rotatable to atop the upper corner casting of the fixed corner post;

said post sections having a second rotatable post means attached to the hinge support section of the fixed corner post and rotatable concentrically with the first post means and having a second stacking portion movable to atop the corner casting of the first rotatable post means;

said first rotatable post means and said second post 'means each including locking means for securing the rotatable post means in the upright stacked position by engaging the adjacent corner casting of each lower post section.

5. The invention according to claim .4, and:

said locking means comprising a hook means pivotally mounted in each rotatable post means and movable to engage the corner casting carried by the associated, adjacent, post section;

said locking means also having a hook means actuating linkage comprising an operating handle and a floating link pivotally attached to the hook means and the operating handle to thereby provide an over center locking of the hook means. 

1. A portable storage rack comprising: horizontally disposed deck portion for support and transport of articles and comprising corner posts having a plurality of post sections; said post sections including fixed non-rotatable corner post portions securely attached to the deck portion and extending above the deck support surface and each non-rotatable corner post portion having a two-piece construction including a stacking and corner casting mounting section and a rotating post mounting section horizontally adjacent the corner casting mounting section; said post sections also including a plurality of movable post means pivotally attached to the post mounting section of the fixed corner post and swingable from an on deck folded position to an upright support position, and each movable post means including a post section connecting and locking means and a hinge portion for pivoting attachment to the associated fixed corner post portion and also having a nesting portion movable to atop the stacking section of the associated fixed corner post portion in vertical alignment with the corner casting of said fixed corner post portion to thereby provide a storage rack having rigid interlocked and adjustable height corner posts; each supporting post section having a top corner casting; said locking means pivotally mounted in the nesting portion of each movable post means, and engageable with the supporting corner casting of the lower adjacent supporting post section to thereby rigidly interconnect the post sections to permit stacking of storage racks.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, and: said interconnecting locking means including a rotating hook positioned for locking downward movement into locking engagement with the supporting post section; a lock operating mechanism including an operating handle and a floating link member pivotally connecting the rotating hook and said operating handle.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, and: said corner casting mounting section and the rotating post mounting section of the fixed corner post portions comprising channel shaped members joined by a connecting plate to thereby form adjacent box beams; each of the rotating post means also having an interconnected box beam construction comprising a channel shaped hinge portion and a channel shaped nesting portion attached to a beam closing plate.
 4. A stackable pallet with a horizontally disposed deck for support and transport of articles, and having corner posts comprising a plurality of post sections and each post section having a corner casting mounted thereon, and the improvement comprising: said post sections including fixed corner post portions securely attached to said deck and extending upwardly therefrom and having a two-piece construction with a fixed stacking portion including upper and lower corner castings attached to each end thereof and said post portions also having a hinge support section fixedly attached to the stacking portion; said post section including a first rotatable post means having a hinge connection portion for pivotally attaching the rotatable post means to the hinge support section of an associated fixed corner post portion and also having a stacking section rotatable to atop the upper corner casting of the fixed corner post; said post sections having a second rotatable post meAns attached to the hinge support section of the fixed corner post and rotatable concentrically with the first post means and having a second stacking portion movable to atop the corner casting of the first rotatable post means; said first rotatable post means and said second post means each including locking means for securing the rotatable post means in the upright stacked position by engaging the adjacent corner casting of each lower post section.
 5. The invention according to claim 4, and: said locking means comprising a hook means pivotally mounted in each rotatable post means and movable to engage the corner casting carried by the associated, adjacent, post section; said locking means also having a hook means actuating linkage comprising an operating handle and a floating link pivotally attached to the hook means and the operating handle to thereby provide an over center locking of the hook means. 